Keeping Children Safe from Online Sexual Exploitation

(Dufferin County, ON) Children and youth are increasingly living out a large proportion of their daily lives online — whether using technology to communicate with friends, seek entertainment, or learn and broaden their knowledge about the world around them. However, just like the offline world, parents and teachers need to be fully aware of the risks children and youth may encounter while using the Internet. This is why on February 5, International Safer Internet Day, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is letting Ontarians know about the comprehensive Internet safety resources and tools available through the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. These tools are there to help parents (and teachers) make sense of the challenges with raising children and youth in an ever-changing technological world.

“In this ever-changing technological world, children and youth are able to connect to the Internet with relative ease, exposing them to risks and harms that can be difficult to keep up with,” says Inspector Scott Naylor, Manager, OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit. “The protection of children online is all of our responsibility. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection resources provide parents, educators and communities with current information about children’s online activities and what we can do to make the Internet a safer place for our children and youth.”

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection, a national charitable organization dedicated to the personal safety of all children, will be launching new e-parenting safety sheets addressing issues and concerns parents may be facing right now with regard to their adolescent’s online safety. This includes valuable information on protecting youth from online luring, the growing issue of sexting, as well as how to talk to your child about healthy relationships and appropriate boundaries.

For public safety tips residents may check out the OPP web-site at www.opp.ca.